Tubbercurry soccer star on the move

From Como to Beveren, Liam Kerrigan’s football journey continues. After a successful loan spell in the second half of last season with Serie C side Novara, the Tubbercurry native is on the move again as he has gone on a season-long loan deal with S.K. Beveren from Belgium, they play in the Challenger Pro League which is the second division in the country.

Como were promoted from Serie B to Serie A and having been very active in the transfer market, Kerrigan was aware through the pre-season that a loan move was on the cards.

“It had been touch and go all pre-season and I did play in a few pre-season games,” Liam told the Western People. “I had talked with Cesc (Fabregas, Como head coach) and I knew that I would end up going on loan. Come then the start of the Serie A season any player who was likely to be going out on loan wasn’t involved with the match day squads.

“I had stayed as long as I could to see how it would go and if I could work my way into the match day squad. But I knew if I stayed I might only end up playing a couple of games which would be of no use to me. I have had two years of non-consistent football and didn’t want a third.

“You look then at the signing’s that Cesc has made and the squad that Como have now. There are Champions League winners, World Cup winners and European Championship winners, we have the likes of Raphaël Varane, Pepe Reina, Alberto Moreno, Andrea Belotti and of course Cesc himself.” There was a lot of interest in Kerrigan with Beveren coming in at the very last minute after it had looked like he would be going back to a club in Serie C.

“As I said I stayed until the very end of the window but there was interest from a few clubs. From ones in Scotland, Serie C and there was talk of a club in Serie B not nothing materialised. The club wanted me to go on loan with a team in Italy as they felt he move to Novara had been good for me and also it meant it would be easier to keep tabs on my progress.

“However, Beveren came in the day before the window ended and the whole thing went very fast then. Como must have done their research on them because they were quite happy to let me move.” Kerrigan says that Beveren is more like Ireland is terms of the size of the town and the weather and also that he spoke with Ireland international Jake O’Brien before signing.

“At the moment I am staying in a hotel but the club is going to arrange an apartment for me. I haven’t gotten to explore the town yet but it seems a small one and is in a good location, it’s 25 minutes from Antwerp and then 45 minutes from Brussels and the airport. It’s good as well in that English is the primary language, the trainings are done in English and the team meetings which is quite ideal for me.

“It’s like home as well in terms of the weather, some of the lads asked me why I had left Como to go there but I told them that the weather is like home!

“Also as well, I spoke with Jake O’Brien as he had played in this league before with RWD Molenbeek. He won promotion with them and that helped him get his move to Lyon and then Everton. He had nothing but good things to say about the league and the country so I was happy to sign.

“It was great to be able to speak with someone who had played in the league because I didn’t have that when I signed with Como. I do think though that there a good few of my friends and family who are a little disappointed I’ve gone on loan to Beveren, it’s not as attractive a place to visit as Como!” Kerrigan added: “The aim for Beveren is to get to the promotion play-offs and the aim for Kerrigan is a straightforward one, to play as many games as possible and to establish himself in the first team:

“Beveren are playing in the Challenger Pro League and are going through a bit of a rebuild. The are putting their trust in youth and have a new sporting director and a new coach. Their aim is to get to the play offs. The squad is mostly Belgian players but there is one English lad Ademola Ola-Adebomi, he is on loan from Crystal Palace.

“I signed for them the day before their game against RFC Liége. We went down to ten men in that game and I came on with about 10/15 minutes to go. It was a real running game as we were drawing 0-0 and were looking to hold onto the point while seeing if we could hit them on the counter.

“My aim now is to play as many minutes as possible and to nail down a first team spot. I am still under contract with Como until the end of the 2026 season so my long term aim is to establish myself with them. They are keeping tabs on me and I am in regular contact with the sporting director. He has been with Como since I arrived and is a really nice fellow. When I was playing with Novara he text me after every game and I’d say it will be same now with Beveren.”